It was billed as the Pac-12’s game of the year entering the season, and it lived up to it. No. 7 USC vs. No. 20 Utah didn’t have quite the same weight to it when the Utes fell to UCLA last weekend, but this was still a matchup that could ultimately decide the Pac-12 conference title race.

It finished with a wild 43-42 Utah win that will go down in Utes history, on a night they were honoring two fallen teammates, no less.

Rice-Eccles Stadium was simply electric on Saturday night as the program honored Ty Jordan and Aaron Lowe, and it got the finish it deserved, with Cameron Rising coming out on top, clinching the win with a massive 2-point conversion with 48 seconds left in the game. Rising was nearly flawless in the performance, completing 29-of-43 passes for 415 yards and two scores and rushing for 60 yards on 11 carries with three touchdowns, including the game-winning score and the two-point rush that put the Utes up one.

His counterpart, Caleb Williams, was just as special, completing 25-of-42 passes for 381 yards and 5 touchdowns.

But ultimately it was USC’s pressure, or lack thereof, that lifted Utah to the win. A Trojan defense that led the nation in sacks failed to take Rising down even once.

Now USC goes into a bye week trying to come back from a reeling loss. And not just one.

Here are three takeaways from the game.

USC suffers three horrific losses in one day

Late in the third quarter, USC’s worst fears were realized…twice.

The first loss was a significant one and a site that struck horror into Trojans fans who had visions of a College Football Playoffs berth: Jordan Addison, down for what felt like an eternity, with a lower leg injury that looked bad. Addison immediately went into the tent where he received medical attention.

Addison had been torching the Utes with seven receptions for 106 yards and a score, winning the one-on-one matchup with Utah’s phenomenal cornerback Clark Phillips III.

But his loss would not be the only one USC would suffer on the evening.

Stud linebacker Eric Gentry, who made his impact known with a key forced fumble near the Trojans’ goal line, was lost not much after Addison was sidelined, courtesy of another lower leg injury.

The loss of two of their best players was too much for USC to overcome.

Career game for Dalton Kincaid puts Utes in position.

Speaking of too much for USC to overcome: Dalton Kincaid. The hulking tight end had one of the best receiving nights in Pac-12 history, collecting 16 passes for 234 yards and a score.

People left wondering how Utah’s offense would function after the loss of another terrific tight end — Brant Kuithe — got their answer in a big way on Saturday. Kincaid didn’t simply overpower USC. He out-thought, out-maneuvered and out-worked the Trojans, as well.

He constantly found the soft spots in USC’s zone, and after he went into the tent for one play after a bad hit in the 4th quarter, he returned to pick up a huge first down. Big night for the big dude.

Trojans torch Utah defense time and time again

The USC offense has consistently delivered big plays throughout this season, but facing a talented Utah defense, it would be a test of wills. The Utes had been

A week after allowing completions of 70, 49, 24, and 23 yards by Dorian Thompson-Robinson and runs of 49 and 44 yards by Zach Charbonnet, the Utah defense struggled to contain the big play once more.

Williams completed passes of 65, 36, 26, 24, 20, 18, 18, 17, and 17 yards and added a 55-yard run.

The Trojans had scoring drives of just 1:02, 1:36, and 1:44. But ultimately, they could not score on their last drive, which started with 48 seconds left.